Midday Meal and Education

Jyoti Sonia Dhan
The genesis of midday meal started since back in 1923 when Madras Presidency started cooking meals for children in the corporation school in Madras city, Tamil Nadu. Then after K.Kamaraj who was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu brought the scheme to large scale in 1960. K.Kamaraj had logic behind expanding midday to large scale because he acquainted with a child who was grazing animals in the field rather then going to school. After interacting with child he found child was hungry. Hence, midday meal started. Then after, midday meal became universalized by another chief minister of the state Dr. M.G Ramachandran. Hence, midday meal was introduced in primary and secondary government school in 2001 under Supreme Court order, later its was universalized in 2005.

While talking about education to all, this is a good initiative. It indeed attracts children from those sections of society who are considered as marginalized both in terms of economically and historically. The free lunch schemes has special objective such as protecting children from classroom hunger, increasing school enrollment and attendance, addressing malnutrition, reduce the gap of caste differences and women empowerment.

The growth of a child is directly related to physical and mental health which has its relation with nutrition it takes. And other aspect is quality of education. These tender age needs nutrition to develop brain to become receptive to words and letter narrated in the classes. The lesser nutrient intake creates weak brain. It has being found many often for economically backward communities; their children hardly take nutritional foods. The traditional food habits have expired due to the non availability food in their surrounding and purchase of nutritional food many cannot afford it. It has also relation to the depletion of natural resources in terms of forest produce in terms of fruits, nuts, roots, flower and leaves. This is where malnutrition takes it’s speak stage among children.

In India Bio diversity board has collected more than 5000 species containing nutritional value. These are available almost in every part of the country. The forest communities have access to these nutritional groups of species but unfortunately depletion of forest has reduced to few or negligible. This had changed the eating habits and was more attracted towards produce outside the regional area. Some afford to pay to avail it while some satisfy by consuming less profitable regional produce. However, midday meal in every aspect fulfills the nutritional aspect of child.

According to department of school education and literacy under minister of HRD, in Jharkhand number of institution serving midday meal is near to 78% during 2010, average number of children availing midday meal is 79%. The availability of food grains for the state was 72% of the food grain allocation and utilization was only 63% which means many food grains were not disbursed to various districts.

The nutritional aspects include 400 calories and 12 grams of proteins to be given to children for their development. The quality of midday meal is an issue in many places where shortage of food supplies more than that content of the nutrient value. The poor quality landed with much protest where children complained of nails or lizards. The food given was also not according to the menu list. More than that corruption in midday meal scheme in many district to much extent created failure of midday meal. Inspite of all odds midday meal did worked but question of reaching to difficult areas is consider as target. Therefore, government adopt PP model (public private partnership).

The interesting aspect about midday meal is whether it will enhance quality education. Though enrollment has increase and children are into the school but it has other issues of school which did not provide quality education. There are issues of availability of books, teacher student ratio including subject wise teacher. The midday meals itself do not assured quality education. It can satisfy hunger but not knowledge. The school with single teacher attracts children only during the meal time. Therefore, quality education as well as nutritious food needs to go side by side.

Another area is caste discrimination which rules our society and it has created lot of discrimination while preparing food and serving it. In many schools a dalit women cannot prepare food or serve food to upper caste or an upper caste women never serve the dalit’s children. The areas where social activist are advocating for right to education some changes is visible while many places things remained the same.

The new entry of private parties is remarkable as long as they serve to provide nutritious food as social initiatives. Once these parties start demanding price for the lunch, these children from economically marginalized communities will go back into their original position, consequently drop out.

However, what ever the model adopted to achieve education for all, inclusive methods can only create bright generation. Midday meal alone cannot assure right to education the other alternative like livelihood of children parents should be provided through constitutional rights then only children will have access to education.



Challenges in education : Context to Jharkhand

By Jyoti Sonia Dhan

Education can be said as to develop knowledge, skill, and character. Education could be seen as wings for the progress of the human being. It helps individual to attain intellectual, physical and spiritual or emotional progress. Education not only creates better human being but it also contribution to transformation of the society.

Moreover, there are two aspects of education one is formal education through schools and colleges and other is non formal education which is environment where the child grows to adult. There is difference in two forms of education one speaks of skills and other about values. The education is incomplete without both. The skill is required for better livelihood option and for that minimum amount of formal education is required through degrees and certificates. The other parts talk of values which are required for humanity and for just society.

The Right of children to free and compulsory Education Act 2009 were launched in 1st April 2010. It was great development to India when it is planning to reach the paradigm of development across world. The literacy in India is 68% in 2007 and the world average literacy rate is 84% (1998) for adult and 88% (2001) for youth which means that there are still innumerable illiterates in India. In Jharkhand the literacy rate is 59.6 % in 2007, this figure is less as compare to national figure. Therefore, RTE ACT 2009 will be a step towards the more of literate population. But, does literate means way to scribble its own name or give a signature in many government recognized documents or will it expands to the broader meaning of education.

The data of Jharkhand Education Project Council for the year 2007-2008 narrates that there are 143143 out of school children and drop out is 76397 for the age group from 6-14 years. The reason behind were lack of interest, lack of access, household work , migration, earning compulsion, socio cultural reason, non flexibility to school timing and system. Above all the reason the highest rates goes to household work and earning compulsion that means 34675 doing household work and 31913 children were earning due to compulsion. This simply gives the analysis that how deep rooted poverty is which barred the children to go to school. One can just imagine the huge drop out of children in order to work for its own family.

Migration is also accompanied with it where the migration of the girl child as domestic workers is high. This is mostly seen in the tribal belt were the girl children leaving schooling after attending Class V. Migration has also ended up in trafficking of girl child to various labour oriented works including the prostitution. The trafficking economy has huge money flow which gives opportunity for the people to earn specially the middlemen. There is also support from the local administration and people’s leader which gives a way forward to make a good business. If the support from the local administration was not there then many girls from Jharkhand would have being competing in various fields. But, the unfortunate part is the deep rooted poverty which only gives choices to the family to enter in such disguise labour work at the tender age.

When we talk of socio culture reason the girl child drop out is high, who were married of at young age. The social customs like dowry allows the girl child to discontinue school and marry at tender age. The parents were not interested to bear the cost of girl’s education but prefer to invest more in boy’s education. This aspect of socio culture reason had also landed in trafficking in few areas where fake marriages were prevalent. Even in the tribal communities girls were married of in younger age. This is not due to dowry as it is not prevalent in this community but the mind set that, young age can fetch good groom.

The other incidence related to the children in Maoist effected area. The schools were occupied by the security forces. There are 43 schools occupied by security forces and only under PIL by PUCL some schools were vacated but still many are yet to do. This has affected the studies of the children including the psychology of child mind who are always in fear.

There are 106 MOU signed by the Jharkhand government and many are yet to be implemented. The displacement of villages may lead to closure of schools and migration of many children to other places. Their studies will be disturbed and many will land into child labour, child prostitute in long run. The rehabilitation policy has nothing to do until there is rehabilitation Act and highest literacy level of communities with specialization and skills.

The school premise has lots of issues starting from infrastructure, furniture, play material, books, uniform, scholarship, midday and teachers. There is more school to be built as many children had to travel kilometers to reach the school. These in references to the middle schools, where high rate of girl child dropout. The parents fear to send their daughter to school as they are concern about the security of her lives. The late distribution of books suffers the children in studies. The worst situation is about the midday meal. The quality of the meal is poor with less nutritional food and in many cases caste discrimination related to cooking by lower caste person throws different kind of environment. The teachers were over loaded with work with multiple classes to teach, multiple subjects to teach and other engagement due to government orders. The ratio of 40 is to 1 not maintained in most cases. Though para teachers had added to the quality of the school but their frequent protest and bandh landed to suffering of studies to children. The para teachers had their own issues related to discrimination of pay.

If we just reflect to the curriculum of subjects it speaks less about Jharkhand. The methodology used for teaching is wonderful and interesting but content lacks many aspects. It does not include the Jharkhandi perspective which talks of collectivism. The rich cultural heritage, history of Jharkhand were absent in the curriculum. The indigenous Jharkhand knowledge, technology, justice, literature, science, customs and traditions through democratic processes should be included in the elementary education. The medium of instruction has also added to lack of interest among the children. Tribal children find it difficult to understand Hindi and English in rural areas. Until the teacher translate and teach children find it difficult to learn.

The private school leads in quality education as compare to the public school. Though the public school has lot of resources still it lacks behind. The people in order to avail quality education to their children had to pay to private school still knowing that they had already paid a huge amount of tax in different forms, so that they can get certain welfare benefits. So there is a disparity in education creation of class. Those who can afford go for quality education while other has to satisfy with what ever quality it has. RTE Act has included reservation of 25% children from the marginalized communities this is still a challenge to achieve it as many elite private schools opposed thinking that school standard performance can get down if the children from marginalized communities studies in their school.

What kind of education the children should avail? Surely the both part the formal and non formal education. Most of the non formal part is by default included in the formal education like equal opportunity for girls and boys, same midday meal for all communities, health and hygiene etc. But, thoughts like collectivism and justice should also be part of curriculum. The children should able to develop thoughts, skills and imagination capacity. The children should able to curb the possibility of discrimination. The competitive attitude and commercialization should be reduced which in long run impact the child’s mind. We still hear the suicide of students in Mumbai and Delhi due to failure in studies. The emotions of the children were not addressed. The globalization process has lessened the importance of indigenous language where English is encouraged more. There should be more promotion of indigenous language at elementary level and local teacher should be appointed according to the geo-specific area. English and Hindi should be taught only as source of information.

The specialization and skill are required for better livelihood option but it should not create inhumane being where superiority, discrimination rules the child’s minds till adult.

The government should invest 10% of GDP in the total budget and half in the primary level. It’s just because the primary level is the base of education. There should be 100% enrollment in schools and teachers and student ratio should also be taken care. Girl child education should be especially taken into account. The government should come up with different kinds of poverty alleviation programme so that children may not indulge into child labour and trafficking. If we really want to see developed Jharkhand, government has to invest on education and that too education for all.

Why a right to land for a tribal woman is secondary? (context to Jharkhand)

Jyoti Sonia Dhan


The tribal society was a collective society residing in the proximity of woods and forest. They had their own periphery where their lives social, cultural and political system runs smoothly. Men and women had equal responsibility towards the family and society and played equal roles.

In Jharkhand land was then into a collective system, where a territory was defined and the control over the territory by the village self governance system such as Manki Munda of Ho tribes, Majhi parha of santhal and Parha panchayats of Munda. Not only these but other tribes like Oraon, Birhor and Paharia have their own administrative system which was unique in nature. This was the oral tradition and was functional on certain believes and myths. The women enjoyed equal opportunity and played role of village head in the administrative system.

This administrative was brought under certain changes under the permanent settlement act of 1793 which undermined the customs of the tribal’s communities as it introduced land revenue and “ghatwals” to local chief who maintain law and order. The strict revenue assessment resulted in huge arrears to local chief which resulted in auctioning of the land. The auction encourages the new settlers the zamindars mostly the non tribals in tribal areas. As a result it became threat to the traditional system of administration. Consequently, there was series of uprising from tribals from 1767 to 1833 and again from 1845 to 1920 in almost in every parts of Jharkhand. The prominent among is Tilka Majhi’s war (1780-1785) and Birsa Munda’s movement (1895-1900). All this uprising resulted to Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 (CNT), Santhal Pargana Act of 1949 (SPT), and Wilkinson Rule (Under Bengal Regulation XIII of 1833). These all were the written laws by Britishers to protect the tribal land and cultural traditions.

But, on contrary Britishers introduce patta system or “Khatiyans” (land title deed) in Jharkhand. The communalism is replaces by individualism. Common property became private. Here, came the introduction of the strong patriarchy by writing the names of the male members in the patta or “Khatiyan”. The entry of the women name was restricted. This was more so done by the Britishers in order to create a dispute within the tribal family. This was the start of disintegration of the women in the traditional governance system. Now there are hardly any women as village head.

The struggle of the land did not stop in the tribal belt. The ignorance of CNT, SPT and Wilkinson rule had resulted in massive treacherously, betray by the outsiders specially the migrants from North Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh. The tribals had welcomed them as the guest but they were ignorant of their motives, consequently many lands were taken illegally by these migrants who came to settle in the new area. The land reforms under the Forest Department which had also resulted in lost of the tribal lands.

The motives of the migrants were so intense that they lured the tribal girls to get married with them. Many tribals girls got married which had resulted in wide spread torture for land. This created anger among the tribal communities and strengthen them towards being more patriarch. Newly, infested thought just ignored the women entitlement to land. This was more so massive that, the traditional system of respect to women through administrative system broke down. Though there were other factors for the loss of traditional system in tribal belt but presence of women became negligible. Even the traditional practice of “Tamen Jom” in Santhal tribe where a daughter is given the share of family land did not practice in a large. The tribal communities like Munda, Ho and Oraon totally ignored the right over the family land by women.

The role of the women was reduced to “care taker” of the ancestral land but there was no entitlement with their names. The single unmarried women got the land of their father as the caretaker but not as owner. Similarly, the role of the widower became more prominent as caretaker until only her sons got through the land rights. Still today the practice is same and tribal women’s right to land is not in mind of tribal men or women.

There was lot of resistance from the tribal men when asked about giving land to women. This is more so because there have being much of struggle of land by the tribals in past and still it is present today. The term ‘Dikus” has being attached to all the invaders whether to be outsiders or multinational companies who are reaching to grab the tribal land for their profit. In such a situation how can tribal men think to give a share to women? This issue of land struggle of tribals with corporate or multinational companies was attached with women being betrayed through marriage for land in the past.

One thing that was ignorant from the past happening was that men were also being part in the loosing of land to outsiders which was never narrated in large. They through their easy going and wrong habits gave many lands to others. They even encourage having marrying a non tribals but they could not tolerate a tribal women marrying a non tribal.

The land for the urban tribal women also emerged from same history which restricted the share to daughter creating differences. The history was repeated gain and again to women so that they could live peacefully with the realization that outsiders were present only to grab the lands. And land right to women does not exist for tribal girls. Even the property right to daughter by the Indian law did not fit to the traditional laws in tribal society.

This was not at all in the mindset of tribal men that women are strong enough to deal with all situations. They have seen the women participating strongly for land struggle right from the Brtishers to present day against the multinational companies. But, when comes land right to women they are silent and narrates traditional values and norms.

The advocacy was done on right to land to women by many organization and activists but due to the reluctance by the tribal political leaders it did not worked. The other alternative are being worked such as introduction of names of the wives in the “Khatian” (land deed) but still the organization and activists are struggling into this matter.

There are changing patterns in the tribal society where the acceptance of the daughter are getting reduce this is more so weakens the right to land to women. Hence, mass awareness is needed among the tribal society starting from the traditional groups to urban habitats. Only then can right to land for tribal women be accepted.

How Racist we Are?

By Jyoti Sonia Dhan

Racism is the belief that race is a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. On contrary, racism can be described as the belief that a certain race or races portray undesirable characteristics. It is also seen as certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or receive preferential treatment. Although Racism usually denotes race based principle prejudices, violence, dislikes, discrimination or oppression. In spite of United Nation Declaration International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination , racisum is practice ceremonalisly.

The history of racism originated with capitalism and slave trade. As the Marxist writer CLR James put it, "The conception of dividing people by race begins with the slave trade. This thing was so shocking, so opposed to all the conceptions of society which religion and philosophers had…that the only justification by which humanity could face it was to divide people into races and decide that the Africans were an inferior race."

India was not left behind while narrating of racism; they had also being part to it including promotion also. There were innumerable instances of racist attitude with African students or visitors in India. In one hand there was deliberation and discussion in media about Indian students in Australia who they face violence under Australian goons but here back in India Black American is treated in different way. I found some boys laughing and commenting at the Black visitor because of his dressing sense. In New Delhi African student who was doing PhD from Delhi school of Economic was asked by ATM guard why he has come to machine while his white friend was saluted. Similarly, in Mumbai another African was not allowed to enter the pub.

Not only is this there is different attitude towards the North East people in the capital state of New Delhi. They were referred ‘chinkies’ due to physical features, languages and tribal background. There were attacks in forms of verbal and sexual harassment to female. This has led to drop of female north east students in New Delhi.

In a democratic country, does democracy plays with people’s diversity. Then this democracy has failed to teach people about the country’s rich diversity of culture and language. There was fight for this democracy through freedom struggle sixty two years back when country was under the British rule who divided the country into colonies. They practice racisum with Indians and discriminated them in ever ways. Was it that the Britisher when left gifted back with the jewels of racisum which we Indian practiced it in the later period of time.

It is true that colour of skin has lot do with beautiful and ugly, good and bad, progress and regress, upgraded and downgraded. So the colour white and black distinguishes them. Here, the competency, value, honest doesn’t not matter. These qualities were by default favored to fairer skin or white complexion. The Black is beautiful is not in the mindset of everyone.

The adoption centre Indian Central Adoption Resource authority shows that more of the adoption is with fair skinned babies and dark skin babies were adopted by western who come to India for social work. So, Indians are looking for fair skin babies.

Nevertheless, the worst is the innumerable fairness cream in the market and it had left the Indian mass with notion white is beautiful. Initially, there were fairness creams for women and now it’s for men. So testing the Indian Psychic the fairness cream business boomed in every parts of India. This had rooted the young minds that being a fair will score more marks in school. Even the teachers prefer fairer child to be in as the frontiers. The offer of best job or qualified for a job is now based on the individual’s complexion. The personality test is based not on intelligence or academic excellence but on the complexion. So, the Black is beautiful is not in the mindset of everyone.

Nevertheless, the matrimonial sities bombard with advertisement of fairer bride and is once again the racist attitude mingled with gender biasness. There were instances where proposal of a dark beauty is turned down for not being fair. The proposal is only accepted with high raise in dowry for her with this handicap ness.

So it just illustrates that how racists we Indians are. But it difficult to understand why black is not beautiful. How colour and physics rules our minds. It can be said that we are very consumerist hence we look for outer charm rather looking for inner charm and strength. It’s about feeling of superior or high in heaven.

The root cause of racisum is ignorance, lack of understanding and false perception about others which amounts to lack of knowledge which once again lay to lack of ignorance. This ignorance can be overcome when we are educated. Education does not mean only of academic to join hands with capitalism but about socialism. But, once again there in debate that capitalistic have the social environment and wants to sustain this environment. But, in Indian caste based society rule everywhere that has brought into discrimination based on colour also.

Racisum is also about fallen humanity’s egotism, when one starts taunting other by saying you are not like us or look like us. There are diversity and have genetic variation this has to be accepted by all. The Law can not only end to such discrimination until the mind set is change. This change can come only when one show respect and maintain dignity of others. Otherwise, they lay in the illusion of being in heaven which is actually the Devils house.

Will Free Compulsory Education Possible In A Maoist Conflict Area?

By Jyoti Sonia Dhan

The Child Right to Education Bill 2009 which was passed by Parliament in last August 2009, which speaks about the free and compulsory education to all children between 6 to 14 years. On other hand there was nation wide campaign by Child rights organization CRY for “saman shiksha sabko shiksa”. Both tell about education to all children. In states of Jharkhand , Bihar and few areas of West Bengal and Orissa there are security forces set up their camps in the schools of the Maoist affected area for longer period of time like 10 years or more. This has resulted in blowing up of the school by Maoist, which caused wide spread damaged to school especially in the Palamua and Chatra district of Jharkhand.

The high school of Telumath village of Nimdih block of Sareikela district at Jharkhand has the security forces in their attention position right from the top of the building to play ground. And huge trenches dug all around the school campus. It makes one wonder how the children in that school were able to study. The report by Human rights watch on “sabotaging school” narrates about the child right violence in the schools of Maoist affected area.

The rooms occupied by the security forces reduce the class room to lesser areas or sometimes under the tree in the school premises. On one hand there are child rights activist demanding for infrastructure development in schools but here it is seems of no use. The kitchen was occupied for preparation of meal for security person hence mid day meal for children is not possible. Even the toilets were occupied which creates the children to go outside in the open areas. So do the other facilities in the schools, even the Voluntary education committee become defunct.

When there is campaign for girl child education by child rights organization how it can be assured that parents will send their daughters aged 6 to 14 years to school. There is a fear and hesitant by the parents of being sexual harassed by security person or police and in the school or their children can be tagged as Maoist. Will these security force will provide the safe environment to the children.

The report from Human right watch on “sabotaging school” says that children live in fearful condition when they come to school. Sometimes the security person points out the gun to children in order to create threat. Even children cannot play freely during their recess time.

The statistic of education of Jharkhand as of 2001 speaks about the high drop out rate, and less enrollment from most marginalized section. Adding to quality of education there are no books distributed, teachers engaged in non teaching jobs , no subject wise teachers, less number of classrooms, no midday meal and absent of enrollment of girl child. In order to address these issues “Sarva Shihska Abhiyan” was taking pace in all the areas. Many schools were upgraded to middle school and high school in the schedule tribe dominated areas. This is to encourage and to include marginalize community into education.

Now, the question comes how it will be possible when the schools are boomed and parents fear to send their children as there is police or security person there, who at any moment of time might call any of the tribal children as Maoist. (As the humour which circulates now days that all tribals can be Maoist in the Maoist affected area.)

It is quite sure that at any moment of time Child Right to free compulsory education is violated and also the other child right too. There should be some mechanism to make all children to school without threat. The government should think of alternative place for camps. The alternative does not mean to make camps to education or health centres which are basic facility centres were common villagers interacts everyday.

So, above all the core message is that these security forces are there to provide security to common people in the Maoist area and not to create destructor. The Indian constitutional mandate has to be followed when moving out from schools. Hoping the Indian constitutional of child right education of free compulsory education can be visible at the ground level too.

Middleclass demand for child domestic workers

Jyoti Sonia Dhan

The Nobel laureate Prof. Amartya Sen said on child domestic workers that “it is not economic poverty but rather political poverty that is depriving children their rights to education and pushing them to labour force. Our actions should aim at attacking this political poverty to bring education to the reach of children and free child domestic workers from the bondage.”

The child domestic labour is common and traditional form of child labour in India. The child domestic workers are referred to children engaged in domestic chores in a home outside the families for a wage in cash or kind. There are 12.6 millions children in work in India. The record from UNICEF says that there are 35 millions child labourers, out of which 20% to 40% does the domestic work. The 86% of the child domestic workers are girls and below 14 years of age. Even the report from UNDP says that 40% of the child domestic workers are girls and age below 14 years specially employed in the metro cities. Each house hold has the domestic task of cleaning, washing, laundry, food preparation, shopping, swabbing, or taking care of children. These tasks were performed by child workers.

What causes to become child domestic workers? There were few major reasons like poverty, lack of alternative livelihood, parental attitude to female education and “demand from middleclass for domestic workers”. While defining poverty, there are few things like the source of income is less as compare to the number of mouths to be fed. The repayments of debt, families do not make enough money from agriculture which results to child domestic workers. The agriculture land feds them for 8 months and rest 4 months families go to work as labourer. The worst situation arises when there is drought or flood. In such adverse situation the parents prefer their children to go to work rather sending them to schools. The girls specially are not send to school rather are send as domestic workers. Besides, the failure of governments’ programmes and welfare benefits results in food insecurity, which force children to work.

The alarming issue is the demand of domestic workers among the middle class. The contemporary trend of women working outside the homes, there is necessary of ‘hired paid help’. But, this alone do not justify as it was observed that, families where women do not go outside the homes had also child domestic worker. The families prefer children as they have to pay less than adult for the same amount of work. They are perceived to be easier to be managed which means they are obedient and can be easily trained to conform to the requirement of the employers. They are more submissive and hardworking. They also give company for employer’s child. They are unable to organize to form unions and do not have the bargaining power.

This middleclass family generally approaches the relatives who were residing proximity to villages who can provide them cheap labour specially the girls. The monthly pay circulates around 200/- to 1500/- depending upon the city they send. If happens to be metro the price will be high and for district town bit lower then metro. Even the parents of the child are ready to send their daughter to such families who will pay them high. The campaign for “education to all” by Government does not interest sending their daughter to school. The reason behind is gender biasness. The parents were much acquainted with the demand among the middle class for domestic workers therefore; they do not hesitate to send their daughter to work. The city of New Delhi has the flow of girls from Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Bihar and West Bengal. The children come from remote tribal villages to get employed from Ranchi, Lohardaga, Khunti, Gumla and Simdega of Jharkhand, so with other states.

There are innumerable placement agencies working towards children domestic workers. They negotiate with both the parties, the employer of child and parents of child. These agencies move around the village area and identify the families who are in most needy. They influence them by narrating the benefits of sending their daughter to work. Thus, starts the journey of a little girl from village to town. The families do not even know where their daughter is send. The agency gets one month’s salary from the employer of child. The middleclass families in the cities are ready to accept child as the domestic worker, since, they don’t want to pay more for domestic work.

The children face violence under the hands of employer through all forms. They are worst treated to bonded labourer. There are instances of child domestic worker in Lohardaga district of Jharkhand, where the children from tribal families work as bonded labourer to non tribal families. The reason behind is clearance of the debt taken by the child’s parents.

The question lies why a middleclass educated family do not have sensitivity towards these children. Is it that they only think through pay and work practice? The domestic child workers were treated as elderly at the tender age of 8 or 10 years. The working hours circulates to 15 hours a day and most of the time 1hrs a break between the works. The children often have poor diet and ask permission to have food. They suffer all kind of abuse, physical, emotional and sexual. Was it the educated think that if they hire a child then child will be treated according to their wishes?

The educated (middleclass) families should have taken the positive side to address this problem. If a family sends their children to work; out of poverty, then it is role of educated class to stretch their hands of help. While bringing them to home for work they should not be deprive from education and nutrition. This will help to support children’s poverty driven family and also to provide protection to the child who would have lost in flesh trade.

On the whole Government should have come up with stringent Acts on the domestic workers and full i

implementation of programmes at grassroot level which tends to pull more of children as labourer due to poverty. Will day come when these children will be celebrating the Children’s day on 14th November is yet to be answered by all.

Writer is a social worker

Reluctance towards Indigenous language

(In context to Jharkhand)

''Languages are precious storehouses of history, experience and culture; a crucial link between the past and the future' ' - Jeanie Bell, Aboriginal Linguist

Language is considered as the cornerstone of culture and the ultimate expression of belonging as it is through language that culture is shared and transmitted. A unique world view is expressed and identity is moulded and recreated. And for the indigenous community language is expressed through prayers, myths, spiritual belief, ceremonies, law, poetry, oratory, or through everyday greetings, conversational styles, humour, ways of speaking to children, or through unique terms for habits, socio-cultural organization and values of the community.

It is sometimes argued that when an indigenous language disappears (when there are no longer any speakers of the language) then the group itself does no longer exist as such which is of course not the case in many instances as of today. There are still indigenous communities who are able to maintain a strong community despite having lost the use of their traditional language and self-awareness as indigenous peoples.

Education is used as an instrument of assimilation in most countries has resulted in the loss of many indigenous languages. There are generations of indigenous people who were taught that their languages are inferior to the national language thus created a negative social stigma of being indigenous as “inferior.” On the other hand, education has also the potential of saving and reviving indigenous languages that are at the brink of extinction as manifested in some countries and territories today. With the empowerment of indigenous movements and recent developments with regards to the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights at the national and international level, indigenous languages has become an integral aspect of indigenous peoples’ right to culture.

There are 300 to 400 millions indigenous people who speak about 5000 languages in the world wide. And in India there has no major survey done about the count of the tribal languages but it was said that there are more than 270 main dialects spoken. The tribal languages were segregated into three types Dravidian, Sino-Tibetan and Austric. In Jharkhand there are 34 languages or dialects spoken by the tribal groups and non tribal groups. Among the tribal languages 6 have the scripts (Ho, Santhal, Munda, Oroan, Kharia, Bhumij). The Santhali is considered as the official language under 8th schedule.

In order to promote the indigenous language it was made mandatory in the constitution. Under the Indian constitutional mandate under article 350 A, primary education should be imparted in mother tongue. So, the state government is towards the mandate for implementation. The Jharkhand Human resource development had set to implement at the grassroots on indigenous language. It had made compulsory for the teachers to have knowledge of the local language (tribal and non tribal) who were then teaching in Hindi. The students from the government school right from standard I to standard VIII.

The Jharkhand government printed books in five tribal languages for primary school children but failed to appoint teachers on time leading to a wasteful expenditure of Rs 1.05 crore, a CAG report has said. The books were published according to the government’s decision to impart primary education in tribal languages in addition to Hindi in the tribal state. The state’s human resource department had approved printing of books in five tribal languages — Mundari, Kharia and Khuduk in Devnagari script, Santhali in Olchiki script and Ho in Barangchhiti script – for students from Class I to V.

Government neither appointed teachers, who could teach in tribal languages in particular scripts nor these books were made part of the syllabus rendering the cost of printing books wasteful.” Still there is no teacher to teach the language. There has being no recruitment of teachers for the past years. Still in the many areas the teachers were non tribals who do not have the sensitivity towards the indigenous language. Though there are students doing graduate in Indigenous language, but they do not get a space to transfer their knowledge to others.

It is Hindi and English in the primary school which governs. This is the biggest dilemma of the indigenous language that, on one hand it speaks about the promotion and protection of indigenous language and on the other hand it just do not make any appropriate arrangement to make it successful. The government seeks to have bi-lingual education hence, Hindi and English was taught in the primary schools.

The demand for the local language by different groups and a constitutional mandate for the promotion of local language had raised demand for non indigenous language. This is once again is threat to the indigenous language. It can fall into politization by some groups and can completely scarp indigenous language from education. (for instances there were demand for Bengali and Urdu as the second language in Jharkhand) The very word “local language” is not defined properly; it can be the indigenous language or other non indigenous language. In Jharkhand there are non indigenous people residing and they are distributed unevenly all through the area. To advocate for non indigenous language (Bengali and Urdu) is also not wise when we promote to protect the indigenous language.

Again there is another constitutional change going for to have tri-lingual education at the primary education. This will create another kind of confusion in the state as there are many indigenous languages or the local language spoken at different pockets. Suppose if there is Hindi, English and Santhali as the tri-lingual then it might be acceptable in Santhal Pargana but not in Chotanagpur or in Kolhan area. This is because there are fewer or negligible speakers in Kolhan and Chotanagpur area, as the area is dominated by Ho, Mundari, Kurukh speakers. Even in Santhal pargana the indigenous group Paharia and Birhor will be deprive to promote their languages. Again, if Hindi, English and Khorta or panchpargania are considered, then the indigenous language will be deprived. Hence, it is not possible to advocate for any particular indigenous language in the state.

Its is really a threat to the indigenous language if the promotion is not successful through the government, then only Hindi and English will be language for culture expression. Therefore, it is necessary to teach, impart, and promote all the indigenous language of the state. There should be some alternative to promote indigenous language keeping in mind the geo-ethnic specification for instances in Chotanagpur area Mundari and Kurukh to be taught, similarly in Kolhan Ho etc.

The tri-lingual can be a virtual idea in the state of Jharkhand as it gives space for indigenous, national as well as global language. This tri-lingual can be based on the geo-ethnic specification. But, which one to be called as first language, second or third has to be justified. As for the demand from different indigenous groups all over the world, the respective indigenous language has to make as the medium of instruction under the education system. This simply directs Hindi and English are secondary. But, when one reflects to other states the regional language, the respective state language is place first followed by English and Hindi; this is just the reverse in Jharkhand, since it was made to consider Hindi the only language.

How will our education system reserve the indigenous language or whether it will lead to loss? Amidst the global language how these language will able to compete with its naturalness? What is the attitude of the indigenous community to go for protection of their language when there is so much exposure through media and telecommunication in non indigenous language? Not only that when there is demand of global language for capital accumulation. What will be proactive ness by the state government for promotional of the indigenous language. These are the few questions left for debate.
Writer: Jyoti Sonia Dhan